1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for control of missiles while in flight.
2. Description of Related Art
Demanding requirements placed on small missiles include reduced weight and cost with retained or increased performance. Many missiles experience shifts in the center of gravity (CG) location during flight due to the consumption of onboard fuel mass or other types of ejecta. Missile maneuverability and range performance are degraded when a CG shift causes the static margin (SM) to increase. A larger SM requires a larger control moment to achieve required performance, causing more onboard resources such as power or fuel to be expended. The present invention retains desired performance by shifting the center of pressure (CP) to compensate for the shifting CG. This maintains the desired SM and minimizes the required control moment.